moray

any voracious marine coastal eel of the family Muraenidae, esp Muraena helena, marked with brilliant patterns and colours

Word Origin

C17: from Portuguese moréia, from Latin mūrēna, from Greek muraina

Moray1

/ˈmʌrɪ/

noun

1.

a council area and historical county of NE Scotland: part of Grampian region from 1975 to 1996: mainly hilly, with the Cairngorm mountains in the S. Administrative centre: Elgin. Pop: 87 460 (2003 est). Area: 2238 sq km (874 sq miles) Former name Elgin

Moray2

/ˈmʌrɪ/

noun

1.

1st Earl of, title of James Stuart. ?1531–70, regent of Scotland (1567–70) following the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, his half-sister. He defeated Mary and Bothwell at Langside (1568); assassinated by a follower of Mary